It's more isometric puzzle adventuring with Tangerine Pop Game's release of Grave Shift 2: The Sewers. Our courageous bearded pal finds himself in the kingdom's sewers after the first Grave Shift, and now the White Warlock is setting traps to keep his loot safe. Move through the dank environments pushing blocks, smacking enemies with a shovel, gathering keys and collecting treasures as you go, all in the name of giving King Krump extra gold.

The grid is on a slant in Grave Shift 2, so even though you use the [arrow] keys to move, they don't correspond directly to where you walk. Pressing [up], for example, moves you northeast, while [down] moves southwest, etc. Tap the [spacebar] to use your handy shovel (when you find it), and toggle the help bar with the [B] key. The controls are usually the biggest point of contention for "slanted" isometric games, but if you're having trouble wrapping your head around it, simply turn your keyboard clockwise until it feels natural.

Locked doors, blocked passageways, buttons, levers, colored gates and swarms of monsters all have to be dealt with, but you've got the tools for the job. Many objects can be pushed by nudging against them, and you can use them to trap enemies, hold buttons, or just get them out of the way to collect the shiny things behind them. Monster generators can be destroyed by sliding blocks on top of them, which comes in quite handy when you're sick of swatting giant spiders. Food and potions keep you healthy and strong, so be sure to grab them if you're in a spot of trouble.

Analysis: Grave Shift 2 captures that old-school isometric adventure feeling surprisingly well. The addition of enemies and health bars gives it a more arcade-style feel, but you don't have to be a twitch gamer to take out a slow-moving mummy with a shovel. The action and puzzle elements are balanced very well, leaving you free to shove blocks and wander the sewers looking for stuff to solve.

Apart from the "awkward for some" control scheme (which is unavoidable when you try and use a keyboard with this sort of game), the only other rough spot in Grave Shift 2 is the game's tendency to hide exits, switches, and other key items amongst the clutter. Sometimes you'll wander back and forth feeling lost as to what to do next, only to realize there was an exit you missed because it was barely noticeable. The game isn't timed or anything, so exploration is encouraged, but I'd rather see an exit but not be able to reach it than to stumble across it by accident.

Isometric games are a beloved genre for me, and Grave Shift 2 delivers exactly what I enjoy. Puzzles, exploration, and a bit (but not too much) action to keep things lively. With two worlds to explore in this one game, you'll be perfectly content to stay in the sewers for a long time.

Here's a walkthrough for part 1 ("Turtle Traps"). It's pretty basic; I used NESW and numbered the rooms. North is upper right, West is upper left, East is lower right, and South is lower left. Here goes...

Room 1: go N.
Room 2: flip the switch, go N.
Room 3: push the coffin top onto the coffin, get the shovel (20 hits only!) and the courage potion (if needed), go back to Room 2.
Room 2: go W.
Room 4: briefly go S to get behind the first spider statue and push it onto the switch, then go S again.
Room 5: has the GREEN DOOR! Push the box onto the button, get the health potion, and go back to Room 4.
Room 4: go W.
Room 6: has the BLUE DOOR! Flip the switch, go back to Room 4.
Room 4: push the second spider statue onto the switch, go back to Room 1.
Room 1: go S.
Room 7: cross the water, push the barrel onto the button, go W.
Room 8: has the RED DOOR! Go back to Room 1.
Room 1: cross the turtles and go E.
Room 9: push the skull box onto the switch, go N.
Room 10: cross the turtles (make sure your help box is turned off to see the lower one), turn the water valve, get the BLUE KEY from behind the waterfall, and go back to Room 6.
Room 6: open the BLUE DOOR, push the barrel onto the button in the NE corner, go N.
Room 11: kill the creature and collect all the goodies, then go back to Room 6.
Room 6: go W.
Room 12: push the two boxes onto the two switches (one is hidden in the NW corner), then push the two statues onto the switches, and go N.
Room 13: push the statue onto the switch, stand on the red switch, go W.
Room 14: turn the water valve, then go back to room 6.
Room 6: go S.
Room 15: push box onto red button, push statue onto switch, turn the water valve (across the turtles), go SE for treasure in Room 5, go NE for treasure in Room 5, and then go back to Room 6.
Room 6: go W.
Room 16: collect treasure, go N.
Room 17: push the statue onto the switch, turn the water valve, and get the RED KEY, then go back to Room 8.
Room 8: open the RED DOOR, turn the water valve, push the tomb closed, and go W.
Room 18: push the statue onto the switch, then go W.
Room 19: push the statue onto the switch, watch the video in the Eye, and then go W.
Room 20: kill the glowing monster (requires several hits) to open the W wall, turn the water valve, get a new shovel! (only 10 hits unfortunately) in the SW corner, and go W.
Room 21: push the barrel onto the W button, then push the box onto the S button, then push the statue onto the switch, then get the GREEN KEY, grab the Speed Shield, and book it back to Room 5.
Room 5: open the GREEN DOOR to complete the level!
Hooray!

Is anyone else having problems with crossing over the turtles??? It seems like some you can cross just fine and others you fall right in. I have had to start over three times because of this. Makes me not want to play the game. :(

What do you mean, "the game isn't timed"? The ever-decreasing Courage amount is a pretty effective timer...

The turtles don't work for me, either. The gas & spear traps are also impassible on my older computer, as they activate constantly - looks like the usual dumb mistake of timing things that are based on the frame rate, using actual wall-clock time.

I loved Grave Shift 1, so I was really looking forward to playing the sequel.
But the turtles turned it into a very short and very disappointing experience... Half of the time you step right through them and even if you don't, both turtles are never on the surface at the same time. Which makes the game impossible to play : ( Or am I missing something?

Just to provide an alternative point of view, I had no problems with either turtles or traps. Which are essentially the same thing, really; they're "safe" for a period of several seconds, then "unsafe" for a (usually slightly shorter) period. The timer-based problems highlighted are presumably responsible for all this.

So is my computer good, or terrible, then? It would be useful to know.

What do I do now that my shovel is gone? Can I get another one? Was there a way not to lose it?
Also what are the red bullseye things on the floor that glow when I stand on them? They don't appear to do anything.
I'm stuck after completing the room with the 2 rat statues, any hints or walkthroughs for some guidance?

@Brandi: You can only use your shovel for 20 hits, and then it's gone. It counts down at the top left of the screen so you can keep track. As far as getting another shovel, I haven't finished the level yet so I can't help you there (nor do I have a walkthrough) -- but I recall Grave Shift 1 being fairly stingy with the shovels. My advice is to only use it when you desperately need to, rather than bashing away at everything.

The red bullseye things are switches; they need to be held down using a box or barrel. The thing being switched is not always in the same room.

There seems to be a glitch where there turtles just appear in the water (no turtle rising out of the water animation). When this happens, the turtles seem to be constantly unsafe. Alternatively, it could be that the turtles graphical appearance stops reflecting their functional status, which is just as bad. Sometimes by wandering from screen to screen for a while, the turtles will start working properly again (look for the gradual turtle surfacing animation).

Based on what arachne said, this might be browser dependent.

Even when the turtles are working correctly, the timing to get across is very tight.

Here's a walkthrough for part 1 ("Turtle Traps"). It's pretty basic; I used NESW and numbered the rooms. North is upper right, West is upper left, East is lower right, and South is lower left. Here goes...

Room 1: go N.
Room 2: flip the switch, go N.
Room 3: push the coffin top onto the coffin, get the shovel (20 hits only!) and the courage potion (if needed), go back to Room 2.
Room 2: go W.
Room 4: briefly go S to get behind the first spider statue and push it onto the switch, then go S again.
Room 5: has the GREEN DOOR! Push the box onto the button, get the health potion, and go back to Room 4.
Room 4: go W.
Room 6: has the BLUE DOOR! Flip the switch, go back to Room 4.
Room 4: push the second spider statue onto the switch, go back to Room 1.
Room 1: go S.
Room 7: cross the water, push the barrel onto the button, go W.
Room 8: has the RED DOOR! Go back to Room 1.
Room 1: cross the turtles and go E.
Room 9: push the skull box onto the switch, go N.
Room 10: cross the turtles (make sure your help box is turned off to see the lower one), turn the water valve, get the BLUE KEY from behind the waterfall, and go back to Room 6.
Room 6: open the BLUE DOOR, push the barrel onto the button in the NE corner, go N.
Room 11: kill the creature and collect all the goodies, then go back to Room 6.
Room 6: go W.
Room 12: push the two boxes onto the two switches (one is hidden in the NW corner), then push the two statues onto the switches, and go N.
Room 13: push the statue onto the switch, stand on the red switch, go W.
Room 14: turn the water valve, then go back to room 6.
Room 6: go S.
Room 15: push box onto red button, push statue onto switch, turn the water valve (across the turtles), go SE for treasure in Room 5, go NE for treasure in Room 5, and then go back to Room 6.
Room 6: go W.
Room 16: collect treasure, go N.
Room 17: push the statue onto the switch, turn the water valve, and get the RED KEY, then go back to Room 8.
Room 8: open the RED DOOR, turn the water valve, push the tomb closed, and go W.
Room 18: push the statue onto the switch, then go W.
Room 19: push the statue onto the switch, watch the video in the Eye, and then go W.
Room 20: kill the glowing monster (requires several hits) to open the W wall, turn the water valve, get a new shovel! (only 10 hits unfortunately) in the SW corner, and go W.
Room 21: push the barrel onto the W button, then push the box onto the S button, then push the statue onto the switch, then get the GREEN KEY, grab the Speed Shield, and book it back to Room 5.
Room 5: open the GREEN DOOR to complete the level!
Hooray!

Oh, I thought I was missing something about how to make the spear traps stop/freeze. Kept running into impassable areas due to always-on spears. We think it's a frame rate issue, then? Drat. So much for the sequel.

Thanks for the review and comments from everyone. Glad to see there are still some fans of the old school isometric games out there. We have enjoyed building the GraveShift brand and plan to continue with it in the future. Feel free to stop by TangerinePop dot com and see what we are up to. We look forward to keeping the gaming community entertained.

"For developers of future isometric games: you can make the controls more intuitive by picking directional keys arranged in a square. For example: Q=NW W=NE A=SW S=SE."

This looks a really interesting game but my brain conked out by screen three with far too many mal-co-ordinated deaths. I realise that some people are totally cool with Iso-controls though. Maybe an option to redfine the keys?

hi,
i'm having problems with the controls. for some reason the guy keeps walking even though i'm not pressing the arrow key anymore. for example i press the up key and the guy move up when i want him to stop i release the ky but he doesn't stop from walking

JIguest,
Thanks for answering but it's not a sticky key coz i only have this problem with the grave shift games but not in any other game. And my keyboard funtions fine.
well, i guess i can't play this game after all :(...

on lvl 2 I've got through the red door but am stuck there. I cant move the hedges to the red bulls eye points or the ice block as there are walls in the way. Cant seem to find how to unlock them. any ideas?

Thats the one wiht the ice blocks and trees, where i cant move the blocks because the concrete gate is blocking them. But then i treied going to the room to the left of that with the ghosts in black and crosses, which too has a concrete block. I'll keep trying, i must have missed something somewhere.

I also have the same problem with the man who won't stop walking, which must be a bug. Usually, randomly bashing the arrow keys stops the problem, but this is clearly far from ideal, and he often walks unstoppably to his doom. VERY annoying!

actually the wat to stop it is to press the same arrow key that's in the same direction as he's walking. At least that's how i stop it in my case. Nevertheless, it's still anoying and makes the game impossible to play.

I loved the first Grave Shift game, and this one is even better. Managed to complete all the levels now, and get the violin. No problems here. My only query - when is part 3 coming out? lol ... keep up the good work Tangerine Pop Games.

i encountered the problem with the man running off and doing his own thing. I changed from Internet Explorer to Safari,now it works fine.
I haven't got to the end of level 1 yet. Very frustrating. I get near the end and then lose all my lives. Wish I could save the game before the end of the level. :-(...

towards the end of the level in the room with two ice cubes separated by a tombstone switch, if you accidentally push both blocks at the same time onto the same heat element they will both disappear and the second cube which is needed to deactivate the other element does not regenerate when you re-enter the room. this prevents you from completing the level.

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